Q Books

The questions I had when checking this book out from the library were as follows: 'How much is my personal moral sense skewed into good or evil by my experiences and how I interpret them?' and 'What can heal a damaged moral sense (unhappy childhood) or destroy a strong moral sense?' and 'What is the relationship between intelligence and moral sense?'

My questions were not answered by this volume.

A distinction between tolerance (you put up with something because you have to) and acceptance (you have no objections to a practice) is not made. On page seven moral relativism is equated with refusing to condemn strange customs in a foreign society. Wilson makes no distinction between tolerating a practice that you have no influence or control over vs. accepting it. I tolerate clubs catering to smokers (I hate smoking); it doesn't mean I am a smoking advocate, as Mr. Wilson implies. I recognize other people have a right to smoke, just not around me.

No mention of Ayn Rand's objectivism; on p234 it is called 'vainglorious' without being named. As the modern answer to relativism, it says, things do have values, and some (like my life) are more valuable than others (like a corrupt regime's whims). Objectivism also restates and simplifies Wilson's entire argument with foundational premises and structured conclusions. Wilson uses Christian family values, post modern relativism, emotional psychology, variants on Darwinism, and social/cultural norms as his reasoning tools. The empirical evidence is documented psychological studies, widely open to interpretation, and presented without [supporting] context. (Floating abstractions.)

Part one entitled "Sentiments" involved the wonders of altruism. Mob justice, social networks, and self interest get nods. Altruism is expanded around throughout the entire book in various guises (fairness, duty, self-control, behaviorism), rather than a simple 'charity is a personal choice.' Instead of asking 'why do we choose this?' Wilson documents (and interprets) behavior that shows moral choices being made in specific (controlled) instances. Selfishness is equated with evil.

Part two, "Sources" explores from where the moral sense is instilled, (Social groups, families, bonding), but no *new* analysis is made on methodology. Baumrind's parenting studies (pp150-1) are cited. A pointless chapter on gender is followed by historical Western philosophy lessons (not relevant as fundamental human nature doesn't change between societies or centuries).

Part three, 'Character,' finally asks about moral universals (premises). 'We are human' is the only one. More philosophy reaffirming the author's Western Christian 'modern' world view -- "Believing individuals are everything, rights are trumps, and morality is relative (to time and place), such thinkers design laws... that leave nothing between the state and individual save choices, contracts and entitlements. Fourth grade children being taught condom use is only one of the more perverse of the results(p250)." Book ends with an extended metaphor on light.

Apparently morality can't be objective and intelligent, it can only be relative in modern society. Otherwise, it's vainglorious and not fitting for individuals. What tripe!

ýEven criminals believe in morality, at least as they grow older. . . . When asked, at aged thirty-two, weather they would be ývery angryý if their son or daughter committed a criminal offence, over three-fourths of those men who had themselves been convicted of a crime (and often several crimes) answered yes. Even the most hardened criminalsýthose with at least eight convictionsýagreed. They may not be very good fathers, but they donýt want their sons or daughters to be very bad children.ý (11)

This is quite an interesting book. It focuses on the moral sense, an idea whose heyday was coeval with the Scottish Enlightenment and the American Revolution. The central thesis of the book is that there is we have a moral sense, a sense that certain things are right and that certain things are wrong. Wilson observes that his book differs from other research in that ýmany conducting this search have looked in the wrong places for the wrong things because they have sought for universal rules rather than universal dispositions.ý (225) This is not so much a quest for absolute laws, as C. S. Lewis did in ýAbolition of Man,ý and in ýMere Christianity,ý but it is a rather psychological-heavy inductive study ob what people actually do and say.

The book is divided in to three sections. After the overview chapter, Wilson covers different aspects of our Sentiments, focusing on Sympathy, Fairness, Self-Control, and Duty. These four areas provide a grind in which our feelings of morality are properly expressed. I found the chapter on Sympathy quite interesting, since Sympathy is the lynchpin of Adam Smithýs landmark ýTheory of Moral Sentiments.ý We in essence see ourselves projection into the life and situation of other suffering persons. Moreover, we head the voice of ýthe man within the breastý who urges us on to good actions, which Lincoln called ýthe better angels of our nature.ý

The second half of the book is a study of the sources of these feeling of rightness and wrongness. The four chapters are ýThe Social Animal,ý families, Gender, and the Universal Aspiration. He makes the case for much of our sense of morality is rooted in evolutionary biology. Darwin will always select in favor of the people who are pro family, since that is how we will survive fitly. Moreover, we have this ýherd instinctý which binds us together into cities, poli, and bodies politic. In fact, the greatest realization that came to me was that we nee morals precisely because there are other people with whom we have to deal with, work with, and to ultimately love!

The last part is one chapter long, and it focuses on the moral sense and character. Wilson makers the point that we cannot ýproveý in a positivistic sense that there are moral standards or laws out there any better than we can prove Platonic forms. However, people do act as if there are moral standards, and the idea of morality itself is evidence.

Mr. Wilson has a soft, quite and gentle voice and tone that could double for a relaxation tape. I have heard him in person, and must say that it like the announcers at a golf match or an announcer on National Public Radio. This works to his advantage, since many of his ideas are quite controversial. This book is perfect for discussion, and ponderous thought. Now all we need is more research along these line to sharpen our picture of the moral sense.

I mentioned that the book is rather psychosocial heavy. Let me amend that by saying that there is a substantial amount of psychological data, but no psychobabble. Moreover, Mr. Wilson liberally quotes from Aristotleýs ýNichomachian Ethicsý and his ýPolitics,ý so we have a healthy mix of both the old and the new in this book. It is quite refreshing to see someone bridge the ages, and bridge the gap between philosophy and practice, and theory and data.

The main question that vexes me is that you could not tell the difference between a people who does not have a moral sense and one who ignores his or her moral sense. The outward behavior would be the same. The only clue that we have is the lie detector, which measures biological reactions to lies. We may tell lies, but our body knows that we are lying. (106-107)

Two major pieces of conventional - wisdom are undermined in the present work. The first is that we are all merely selfish creatures who act only out of considerations of our own self- interest. The second is that there is no objective morality and that no action can be taken to have a real moral value- but rather that all is simply ' relative'.
James Q. Wilson presents in this work a general theory which explains and justifies our 'moral sense'. He does this in part through his reading of eighteenth - century Enlightenment moralists, Adam Smith, Frances Hutcheson, David Hume but also through his reading of Darwinian evolution.
Primarily however he examines in ordinary clear language cases and examples from our everyday life and experience , and through them helps establish that the 'moral sense' is present in most of us.
He opens his work with a chapter on the Moral Sense, those dispositions which enable us to intuit what is right and wrong. He then considers four sentiments central to the Moral Sense- Sympathy, Fairness, Self- Control and Duty. In writing for instance of Sympathy he shows how this ability to feel for and understand others is a much approved and commendable quality. And how there are clear cases of Sympathy which cannot simply be classified as manipulations for self- interest. He considers too how Sympathy may inform heroic action, as in the most dramatic case of a soldier giving his life for his fellows.
Wilson discourses in his third section the Sources of the Moral Sense. His chapters here are 'Social Animals' ' Families' 'Gender' 'The Universal Aspiration'. He concentrates on how the close- ties within the family are one of the strong sources of Morality , and how those ties are extended to reach out to wider and wider parts of humanity.
His final chapter is on 'The Moral Sense and Human Character'.
Wilson throughout supplies a very large number of examples and cases which he reads in a moderate, intelligent interpretative tone.
There is a quiet convincingness in the whole feel of the work.
It is as if 'common sense' were restoring to us a sense of ourselves our possible goodness and dignity which modern Sociology, Psychology and Anthropology may have deprived of us.
A key book for understanding ourselves and how we might be better human beings in a better world.

I'm junior in high school and have been exploring options of carrer choice since I'll be going to college in two years. I'm very interested in the human mind and psychology and socialogy, so I thought I would like this book. It's very interesting and thought-provoking. I would reccomend this book to anyone interested in human interaction.

This is an important book. If one has only one book to read on morality and ethics, I cannot recommend a better book than Wilson's "The Moral Sense." It's the first and, to my knowledge, the only, book that is a thoroughly modern, naturalistic, and intuitionist theory of ethics to date. The book begins with the challenge facing modern readers: Do we accept the total relativism of Rorty and other pragmatic academics who argue there is no moral sense whatsoever, or do we accept the polar opposite that only revealed religion or Kant's and Benthan's absolutist maxims give us a moral sense?

According to Wilson, both extremes are to be avoided by conciliating the theory of moral sentiments advanced by David Hume, Francis Hutcheson, and especially Adam Smith in the 18th century with the theory of evolution advanced by Charles Darwin a century later. Wilson arrives at a thoroughly modern conception of human nature and what it means to have a natural moral sense without prescriptive religion or deontological maxims to guide us. It is a wonderfully entertaining and highly thought provoking book to read on what can sometimes be a dull subject.

Obviously, modern moral developments have not all been positive. As Wilson observes, we've come to our senses about equality, fairness, and empathy towards others, but we may have left behind self-control and duty to others. I think he's absolutely on target. Unless and until we recognize that morality is not divinely-instituted, but rather empirically established by who we are by nature, and yes a Darwinian nature, then our moral sense will be always miss its target. All four: (1) Fairness, (2) empathy, (3) self-control, and (4) duty must operate concurrently for our morality to be balanced. Wilson's diagnosis of modernity is that they are imbalanced: We've largely omitted self-control and duty from our moral sense and become a tad bit self-absorbed (although recent developments may suggest otherwise).

The first-third of the book rehearses the theory of moral sentiments and the applicable theory from evolution to establish the four "impulses" or "intuitions" of morality: Fairness, empathy, self-control, and duty. Notice these are universal, naturally-endowed impulses, not religious or philosophical maxims or prescriptions. We "intuit" these concepts, and from their application with our experience of family, friends, and society, we develop character. This interaction thusly develops a "conscience" to guide us. This is the substance of the second-third of the book. The last-third of the book explains how conscience (i.e., habituated character) forms affiliations, rights, and responsibilities. Here the author's adds his insights and applies them to a few case examples.

The book is not flawless, but it is the most comprehensive, modern, and naturalistic book on ethics to appear in a single volume. That's a mighty claim, but I think it holds despite my criticism. I have two: (a) Wilson tends to be disorganized to the point of distraction; key concepts almost become ancillary. It's a problem of organization that could have been avoided by a matter of style. (b) The second criticism is a kind of sloppiness occurs in the final section: Besides trying to "humanize" his theory excessively, many of his personal reflections are too time-bound to be perennially relevant. These flaws would not be so egregious if the third section kept to a simple summary of key concepts; but instead of a simple summary Wilson addles between a summary and ruminations. Because the third section is perhaps the most expansive, these criticisms are all the more glaring.

For these reasons, I think the reader would be well-served to precede this book with Matt Ridley's "The Origins of Virtue," even though they cover some of the same territory. Ridley is a much more disciplined and focused author, whereas Wilson has a more expansive and developed sense of a intuitionist morality. If one can't read both - and if the reader is careful to focus on the key concepts rather than the supporting evidence and ancillary reflections - then this book is the one to get. Extreme relativism and extreme religiosity are no longer necessarily appropriate for an intuitional moral disposition. Moral balance, based on the four intuitions, are sufficient and necessary for a virtuous life.

This book provides some excellent Project Management questions with detailed explanation of the right AND wrong answers following PMBOK book. This material will help reinforce the right PMI methodology and best practices.

This book is a valuable tool for preparing for the PMP exam. While the actual questions are atypical of the actual PMP Certification Exam, this book provides a great opportunity to reinforce learnings from the PMI's PMBOK Guide. The book is set up and laid out by each corresponding chapter making in it easy to navigate and use as a reference later for exam preparation.

Just buy it - you wont regret it. :)

It's full of multiple choice questions. I use it as a summary, self assessment tool in conjunction with my PMBoK.

I will be taking my exam the first weekend in April and I feel that this book is an excellent tool to help you prepare. One of my co-workers who just took her exam said she saw 2 questions from the book on her actual exam. She passed and I am confident that I will pass also.

Be warned that it doesn't contain the same type of situational questions that you will find in the PMP test. While these simple questions about concepts in the PMBOK might help you to practice for the CAPM test, the author doesn't even claim that the book will help you prepare for any test.

I bought this little book because I wanted to practice a little more, and because it was on sale. I finished it in less than two hours and never touched it again. A 100% success rate with these easy questions doesn't mean that you are prepared to pass the PMP test.

This is an excellent resource that will help you understand and review several concepts in the PMBOK Guide. The only problem is that the answers provide quotes from the PMBOK Guide and no explanations. The questions are simplistic: may be good for the CAPM exam, but not for the PMP exam.
To prepare for the PMP Exam, I used the PMP Exam Quicklet by Paul Sanghera, which contains very realistic questions.

The Q Guide to Soap Operas is an enjoyable ride through the world of soap operas. Author, Daniel R. Coleridge, has a lifelong passion for television, particularly daytime dramas, and he enthusiastically shares it with the book's readers. Filled with facts and fun quizzes to test one's knowledge, I found this book to be an informative, seductive look at the soaps.

Just finished Daniel Coleridge's book, The Q Guide to Soap Operas, and found it lots of fun. I'd always thought I wasn't much of a soap fan, but I got a kick out of the cover and decided to indulge. Mr. Coleridge's style is funny, sassy and very well informed. He made unfamiliar subjects come to life, pointed me in the direction of some hunks and divas worth getting to know, and made me realize that in spite of my doubts, I AM a soap fan... Now how do I tell my friends and family?

I'm excited about Daniel R. Coleridge's debut book, because it seeks to raise the subject of soap operas to an entirely different, well-deserved level. Instead of being stuck in the typical rut of sugary, mindless, trivial confection -- ala, hairstyles and spoilers -- "The Q Guide to Soap Operas" dares to go in-depth on topics normally never discussed by TPTB [The Powers That Be] or the soap fandom, either on-screen or at the proverbial watercooler.

Such as homosexuality, how it's been treated in soaps from the past to the present, how it's viewed by those in-the-know from the soap media and soap community overall. This taboo topic is handled in a sensitive, intelligent and in-depth manner, worthy of any journalistic endeavor.

And yet, there is fun, trivia and camp overflowing in this book.

Most admirable is the writer's ability to tie in past achievements in the entertainment industry with present practices, daytime, nighttime and mainstream, to continue to make soap operas relevant. Coleridge is a proven journalist able to bring out the most interesting information out of his often famous celeb sources, and do so in a way that is never boring, always insightful, truthful and daring.

He's one of the only journalists around today who isn't afraid to ask those tough questions, yet do so in a way that is least offensive, in-your-face and liable to elicit the most sexy quotes imaginable.

All around, an excellent book debut. I hope to read more from this talent.

As a long-time soap fan, I was really excited to hear about Daniel R. Coleridge's book - and I awaited its release with baited breath. I'm happy to say that I was NOT disappointed. This is a complete guide, from a gay guy's perspective, of the soap opera genre. As a queer guy myself, I feel that Coleridge successfully and humorously covered all areas of interest in the soap opera medium for the gay community. I applaud Mr. Coleridge's first book. It's fun, informative, entertaining, and - dare I say - a little bit naughty. (Be sure to check out Chapter 4, "Top 10 Soap Hunks" - - - but be ready to take a cold shower afterwards...especially after reading about Austin Peck's "perky[...]). For all those soap fans - especially the gay ones - who have not read this book, I highly recommend it. It is just a well-written and fun book about soaps, written by someone who loves soap operas passionately and - like me - is not ashamed to shout it from the rooftops!

I thought it was a great book. Very funny and informative.

This book was required reading for one of my college classes. It proved to be interesting and not terribly difficult to read.

I'm an anglo-American who works at a U.S. company that includes thousands of Indian. Like everyone, I've found the more I know about a person's culture the better we work together. I think this stems both from better understanding values and thought tendencies, as well as good will from making the effort. While I've studied a lot about Japanese and European history and folklore, my knowledge of what an Indian child learns does not extend much past having watched the movie "Ghandi".

My 12-year-old son has been interested in Indian mythology and chose this book. I found it lying on the table one day, scanned the intro and got hooked. The fact that Ramayana is so pervasively known across the diverse states of India made it seem like an essential book for me.

As I enjoyed the adventures, romance and morality stories I kept wondering about what the original poem is like. Others reviewing here seem to agree that the while Narayan's adaptation is modern, accessible and abbreviated, it is faithful to the spirit of the original.

I plan to read it again, or perhaps another adaptation, in order to commit the character names to memory. It will be fun to discuss with my Indian friends -- especially if I remember it better than they do!

The story of Ramayana is in the blood stream of everyone from India. The original epic was written in the 4th century BC in Sanskrit, by Valmiki. Poets in every Indian language have retold this story. This present book relying on the Tamil Kamban version, presents before the reader the essential story of Ramayana. R.K Narayan, with the command of the English language and love for fast story movement, narrates the kernel of the epic poem in an engaging manner, for the sake of the English reader not familiar with the original version. Naturally, some of the elaborate details had to be left out and some narratives had to be condensed. This made the enormous epic into an enjoyably gripping story, in less than 200 pages.

As a fan of Narayan's work, I was fascinated to see how he would tackle the grand subject of the Ramayana, a work that runs through and certainly influences all of Narayan's stories. The result is one of his most delightful and beautifully written novels. I think it is important to approach this book not as "THE" Ramayana, but one storyteller's unique vision of the timeless epic--even as a variation on one of his Malgudi novels (the characters certainly bare a distinct resemblance). Narayan's writing is extremely sensitive, refined, yet full of humor and charm. Throughout he adopts the tone of a storyteller, openly acknowledging that he is only "retelling" a story by a much greater storyteller, and leaving out the juciest parts at that. His little asides where he explains, "And here the poet described the scene so touchingly..." are at once reverent and amusing, as Narayan wisely omits anything too excessive or poetic that might derail his narrative. But the story itself is wonderful, a colorful, full-blooded telling of the Ramayana, sparse, fast-moving, but with all the hallmarks of Narayan's style. This book is a must for any fan of Narayan's fiction, Indian writing, or mythology. Narayan effectively conveys the epic's timelessness, with characters and situations that echo throughout literature and film, full of profound human emotions. And this is always one of Narayan's chief strengths, to create believable, complex human characters. In his treatment, even Rama and Sita emerge as sympathetic individuals, not the cardboard cut-outs all too common given their extraordinary powers. In short, this is a magical and engaging work that I know I will read again and again in the years to come. I invite you to do the same!

I should say immediately that I have no background of any kind in Indian culture, myth or religion. So in reading this small volume I was a complete outsider and a complete beginner in the Ramayana epic. For me, this retelling (in prose) was an excellent first step into unknown territory. I was able to follow the thread of the story and at the same time get a good sense of the epic grandeur behind the myth. I learned about the inviolability and power of a promise, no matter how whimsical or ill-conceived it appears when given; the sacredness of all life, even that which appears lowly; the presence of gods among us in a great variety of forms; and at least one idealized view of the relationship between a man and a woman.

Oh, and it was a whopping good story, much deeper and more packed with meaning than the Greek and Roman myths I was raised on as a child. As I think back, I can recall the Greco/Roman mythology only as a collection of pleasant stories of gods who behaved like children, made decisions for petty reasons and who liked to interfere in the lives of men simply to cause trouble, fulfill sexual desire or seek revenge. I remember wondering when I read Greco/Roman myths how anyone could have "believed in" such gods or even taken them seriously in the way religion is taken seriously today.

The Ramayana conveys a completely difference sense of the divine which, although very ancient, is still significant in the modern world. In the Ramayana gods and humans are always seeking spiritual enlightenment, to do good in all the worlds and to honor each other. The Ramayana is inspiring in the best sense of word.

I also found the introduction by Pankaj Mishra very helpful in understanding the history of the epic and its continuing importance to Indians. There is also a useful Cast of Characters with name pronunciations and a small Glossary at the end explaining some important terminology that appears in the book. If you're new to the Ramayana, as I am, I highly recommend this book.

While I haven't tried any of the recipes in this book, I'm sure most of them are good, they look pretty good. The big disappointment comes from the fact that there are a lot of recipes that will say something like "1/2 cup Stubb's Rub." The problem is, you have to go out and find Stubb's Rub, they do not give you the rub recipe in the book. I understand keeping trade secrets, but if you're going to put out an entire book based on a rub and/or sauce, you should give the recipe for the rub or sauce. I might as well have used the money I wasted on this book to buy Stubb's Rub and just use it on brisket.
Also, this book is not for those who are serious about bbq, it's geared towards those who have a regular grill and are looking to make some quick bbq-like food. If you're like me and you have a dedicated smoker and you enjoy spending the 10+ hours it can take to make the perfect bbq, this book is definitely not for you, stay clear.

My philosophy is that if a cookbook has one really good recipe, it was worth its purchase price. Stubb's cookbook has more than one of what I consider to be a really good recipe. His recipe for Wicked Jezebel Ribs by itself paid for the book as far as I'm concerned.

I've used Stubb's sauces and rubs for some time. I've also ordered food from there shipped to us, and it was great. Now I know much more about the man and also have some excellent hints on grilling. If for nothing else, you must try the "Marley-B-Que" meatloaf.

I was disappointed with the recipies in the book. The recipies were take off's for Stubbs products. Love Stubbs products, but not this book of recipies.

Interesting insight into the cook, Stubb,great recipies for barbq and a well presented hard cover book, but for the price lacks content. Should be more recipies

There are 2 "ins" in an inning and no outs. (in)n(in)g

Also, the doctor question seems to personify the pills. In this case, this patient is obviously a psychiatric one. The pills will last indefinitely, telling the patient every half hour, "take one".

Perhaps the test could be revised to correct these questions where there seems to be more than one correct answer. This way the intelligence of the more elevated thinkers might be more accurately assessed(smile).

I didn't get the score I liked on your test, so I resubmitted and got 12 of 12 after I saw your answers! Pretty cool, huh? Then I printed it out and will show it to someone who keeps calling me dumb!

By the way, what kind of prescription would a Dr. give that he would want you to take one every half hour?

There are 2 "ins" in an inning and no outs. (in)n(in)g

Also, the doctor question seems to personify the pills. In this case, this patient is obviously a psychiatric one. The pills will last indefinitely, telling the patient every half hour, "take one".

Perhaps the test could be revised to correct these questions where there seems to be more than one correct answer. This way the intelligence of the more elevated thinkers might be more accurately assessed(smile).

I don't know what the others here are reviewing, but it is not this book... To get on with the review, I like the idea of dividing intelligence into the factors that Azzopardi lists. I thought the tests covered an appropriate range of skills and I also like the idea of being able see where your true intellectual strengths lie. My only problem with the book is that it does not provide much more than problems and explanatory answers. Those looking for actual test-taking strategies are not going to find them.

This is a story of a naughty little squirrel name Squirrel Nutkin, who loves to tease Mr. Brown, an owl who lives on an island filled with nut trees, which fancy the other squirrels. Daily the squirrels came bringing gifts to Mr. Brown as to gain permission to harvest these nuts in return.

While they are being polite, Squirrel Nutkin is prety much very naughty. He teases him with riddles, mostly ignore by the owl but when too much is too much one day, Mr. Brown punished Nutkins by having his tail torn off!

This is a cute and enjoyable little story. It also teaches kids to not to tease people too much that they are out of line. The illustrations are beautiful. The riddles are cute. The plot and charcaters draws you in. Children would love to read or to be read to with this funny little "tail". Don't miss out inadding this book to your children's reading list.

This is a delightful timeless Tale about an misbehaving squirrel. The riddles are delightful, and the vocabulary exquisite.

Unfortunately, some of the reviewers have looked at this story with the eyes and wisdom of this present age. In time, we will see value in teaching that good can overcome evil, rather than pretending that evil simply doesn't exist. Owls do eat squirrels, impertinance is punished. That is life.

Also, to say that he gnaws his tail off is absolutely untrue and ridiculous. It breaks(gorelessly)in the struggle.

I love it, as does my daughter.

Squirrel Nutkin was one of the finest and most imaginative of Ms Potter's stories and the only one I place above it is the Tale of Peter Rabbit. Nutkin is the name of a cheeky and insolent squirrel who thinks far too much of himself until he is caught by an Owl who has both patience and wisdom as he endures many insults from Nutkin. At last he reacts and it appears that it is the end for the impudent squirrel. At the last moment he escapes from the owl's home when his tail breaks in two and he scurries off to safety. He is left with a partial tail as a reminder to mind his manners in the future. An important correction is necessary regarding this owing to an error in an above review. Nutkin did NOT chew his tail off to escape and I invite the reviewer to actually read the book so she understands this important point. This is a wonderful story for young children with many inportant messages. My own children greatly enjoyed these tales when they were young and still talk about them from time to time. There is a reason why Beatrix Potter's books remain among the best selling childrens books of all time. Her stories and the lessons therein are timeless and the moral absolutes are of critical value at a time when our anything goes culture is in chaos and espouses the worst behavior possible. It is truly refreshing and hopeful that brilliant childrens tales written in 1903 still have much to teach us in 2007.

This book (as do all of hers) captures the imagination of children completely. They LOVE to have this story about a very naughty squirrel and very scary old owl read to them. (who knew impertinent squirrels and creepy owls were so much fun!) Her words are only a well-chosen few, which makes it easy for small children to follow, but not simplistic, so that they learn to understand sophisticated vocabulary. The few words are augmented by exquisite watercolors that tell so much more of the story, and make the children crave to hear them again and again. For instance, I'll never forget the relief and also confusion i used to feel every time he got away -- mainly because of the picture that went with it, which is still in my mind today. Oh, and, one more thing -- the reviewer below who characterized this tale as rude, violent and gory, also said this about The Tale of Jeremy Fisher: "My own favorite thing about Jeremy Fisher is that he is eaten, then spit back out because his rain gear doesn't taste good to the fish who's swallowed him! How many books do you know where the main character is eaten? Good stuff." So, Leggo, it's ok to eat frogs but not squirrels?

This cute little book was written and illustrated by the great Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) in 1903, the second of her many wonderful stories. This book tells the tale of Squirrel Nutkin, who refuses to show respect for an important owl, and pays the price.

Overall, I found this to be a cute story, and a lot of fun to read to my little one. The "riddles" are obvious in their answer, but still a lot of fun to read. So, as with all of Ms. Potter's works, I highly recommend this book!

What a wild ride! Are we sure this author is a male??? He certainly seems to know the "inner workings" of a particular type of female mind! Interesting and compelling characters, subtle humor, and a great twist in the end. I look forward to a sequel soon!

I read this book in 2 hours. I couldn't put it down. Ian and Karen seemed so real that it was like I was watching their lives on a TV screen. They are real people with real problems. There are very few books that I can read over and over, but this is one of them. And every time I read it, I pick up on something else, some sarcastic joke that I missed the last time. Evan Ames has a way of writing that makes you feel like he's sitting there, right in front of you, telling you the story of your own life. You feel like you're Karen or Ian and YOU are feeling all their pain and joy. What an amazing book, espeically for a first time novelist. Every person that I know I've recommended this book to. A great read, an amazing story, and stunningly well written.

A well-written novel that spans genres. A combination of mystery, romance and human intrigue. At times it's Tom Clancy, minus the cloak and dagger. Ames creates a motif using a palette that combines the most proper of English, a bit of slang and the right amount of juxtaposed humor. A yarn that seems unbelievable yet leaves the reader with a resounding "what if..." and an indelible appreciation for life's twists of fate.

I enjoyed revisiting my own late-adolescent antics while reading this lively story with flashbacks to the late '60s. Main characters Karen and Ian demonstrate an amazing repertoire of behaviors through a complicated story line. While the conclusion may seem predictable, the narrator's wonder and surprise carried this reader through. I admire the creative and emotional work this first-time novelist invested in pursuing his passion, and hope he'll keep on writing.

This challenging story require some commitment and intelligence on the part of the reader, as it explores some dark and occasionally uncomfortable areas of the sexual psyche. At the same time, it abounds with subtle and understated humor. The ending is emotionally satisfying as the characters, who are honestly portrayed as humanly flawed, enjoy the rewards of true love. A story for disbelievers, to make us believe.

I purchased this book while I was 16 months pregnant. I'm a college educated woman who didn't know the difference between a crib and a cradle. I figured this book could help. The descriptions of the products were informative and the "must have" and "might want" labels were helpful. The problem I found was that the book didn't really prepare me when I dropped by my local baby store to register. The car seat models, crib models, etc. were old. The baby industry changes rapidly along with the number of recalls. I found the Baby Bargins book (and website) by Denise and Alan Fields a better consumer guide. Baby Stuff helped me decide which items were necessities, while Baby Bargins helped me decide which brands were top rated by both Consumer Reports and real life parents. If you buy this book, be prepared to keep looking for more information.

I found this book to be one of the best I've ever read on "baby stuff". I've bought copies for everyone I know. This book is definately worth buying!

When I was pregnant and trying to figure out how to prepare for the baby and what to buy, this book was a tremendous help to me. My husband and I live in a one bedroom apartment, and my friends and co-workers had been scaring me by constantly telling me that I just couldn't imagine all the things I was going to have to buy and how expensive it was going to be. I kept arguing with them, thinking, how much can a little baby possibly need in the first year? But I realized that I really didn't know, and decided to try to find out. In the process of educating myself I found this wonderful book. Some of the previous reviewers are right that this book lacks the detailed product comparisons that are available elsewhere. If you are looking for lists of different brands with ratings, this book is not for you (and most of it's recommendations of particular products are already out of date). However, it is wonderful if what you are trying to do is figure out how many little onesie outfits to buy, what on earth a "receiving blanket" is and why you need some, how to decide what kind of car seat you need, and what the difference is between one that costs $50 and one that costs $200. The book systematically goes through all of the many things you could buy and lists them as "optional", "might want", or must have" and goes on to explain why this is so. It also breaks things down into three different budget levels ("lotto winner", "lots of money", or "lots of love") and provides estimates of the total cost of everything you will need based on these different budgets. If you are planning for a first baby, this book may be for you.

I found this book to be far too general for my purposes. I was looking for much more detailed product reviews. I also found it annoying that Mr. Lipper was so heavily biased toward independent juvenile products stores (e.g. the store he manages in New York). He made himself out to be an expert, given his vast experience in selling baby products to expectant parents. However he doesn't have children of his own, so he has never really tested any of these products in real life experience. Don't bother with this book if you are a first time parent and need the nitty gritty details about baby products. Instead, I'd suggest you buy the book BABY BARGAINS by Denise and Alan Fields. They have two very young children and have actual experience with the products that they list in their book. Also, they are not biased toward any one type of store. They advise parents to shop around. I would rate the Fields book 5 stars and can't give more than 2 stars to Lipper's.

This book is somewhat helpful to a new mother. However, I found the book, Baby Bargains by Denise & Alan Fields to be more useful.

Wonderfully complex reading, the kind of thing if you grasp the concepts will make you smile at the brilliance of the science. Unfortunately, I'm not there yet and still struggle to understand it all.

More for the scientist in you, not for practical day to day use or, knowledge.

i read the block matching(video compression) chapter of this book, and was impressed by its clarity. the authors explained this topic neatly; the same convincing explanation i failed to find in 10+ other papers. the scope/depth of image/video compression covered in the book is sufficient for one or two semesters' study, or good as reference book.

the only regrettful thing is, the price is too expensive for a poor graduate student.

Learned a lot on video compression by reading this book. I give 3 star because I didn't get A in my course.

This book contains fundamentals as well as standards including
MPEG-4. A very well written book in this subject. Good to have it.

Throughout this book, there are many serious grammatical mistakes. This becomes increasingly frustrating for the reader when the book progresses to more advanced topics. Also, the reader should have a solid foundation in the topics covered because the book does a very poor job of explaining the material. This book should only be used as a reference or as a companion to a better book on this subject.